Multiple control line travel joint with injection line capability

Abstract

A multiple control line travel joint is disclosed having at least one non-coiled, fluid control line and at least one internal control line, such as a hydraulic, electrical, or fiber optic control line. The fluid control line can include an upper control line that enters the travel joint at a top port and a lower control line that exits out a bottom port of the travel joint. The top port and bottom port can be fluidly coupled through a sealed chamber in the travel joint. The second control line can be coiled within the sealed chamber. As the travel joint expands and contracts, the sealed chamber expands and contracts while remaining sealed, maintaining sealed fluid coupling between the top port and the bottom port.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 a sealed chamber defined between an outer tubular and an inner tubular axially slidable with respect to the outer tubular between a retracted position and an extended position; 
 an upper port in the outer tubular designed to fluidly couple an upper control line with the sealed chamber; 
 a lower port in the inner tubular designed to fluidly couple a lower control line with the sealed chamber; and 
 an upper feed-thru port and a lower feed-thru port adapted to accept an internal control line for being coiled within the sealed chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein the upper port is designed to receive an upper control line that is larger than one-quarter inch in diameter and the lower port is designed to receive a lower control line that is larger than one-quarter inch in diameter. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1  additionally comprising a release feature positioned adjacent the sealed chamber and operable to retain the inner tubular axially fixed with respect to the outer tubular until triggered. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3  wherein the release feature is selected from the group consisting of a timed hydraulic release, a j-track release, shear pins, a tubing pressure release, and an annulus pressure release. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the release feature is designed to be triggered by an increase in pressure within the sealed chamber beyond a predetermined amount. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  additionally comprising a second upper feed-thru port and a second lower feed-thru port adapted to accept a second internal control line for being coiled within the sealed chamber. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  wherein the internal control line includes a coating or plastic encapsulation adapted to protect the internal control line from a fluid pumped through the sealed chamber. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed chamber is a continuously-sealed chamber. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1  additionally comprising a fluid pathway between an inside of the inner tubular and an outside of the outer tubular operable to be open when the inner tubular is not in the extended position and closed when the inner tubular is in the extended position. 
     
     
       10. A method, comprising:
 shifting a travel joint having a control line between a retracted position and an extended position; 
 pumping a fluid into an upper port of the travel joint, through a sealed chamber in the travel joint, and out of a lower port of the travel joint; and 
 opening a port between an inside of the travel joint and an outside of the travel joint in response to shifting the travel joint to the retracted position. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  further comprising triggering a release mechanism to enable the travel joint to move between the retracted position and the extended position, wherein the release mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a timed hydraulic release, a j-track release, shear pins, a tubing pressure release, and an annulus pressure release. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein triggering the release mechanism occurs in response to pressurizing the fluid in the sealed chamber. 
     
     
       13. A system, comprising:
 a travel joint movable between an extended position and a retracted position and having a sealed chamber in fluid communication with an upper control line and a lower control line, the sealed chamber designed to accept a second control line coiled within the sealed chamber, the travel joint additionally including a fluid pathway between an inside of the travel joint and an outside of the travel joint, the fluid pathway being operable to be open when the travel joint is in the retracted position and closed when the travel joint is in the extended position. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13  wherein the upper control line and the lower control line are three-eighths-inch control lines. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13  wherein the travel joint additionally includes a release feature positioned adjacent the sealed chamber and operable to retain the travel joint in the retracted position until triggered. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the release feature is triggered by an increase in pressure within the sealed chamber beyond a predetermined amount. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 13  wherein the sealed chamber is designed to accept a third control line coiled within the sealed chamber. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the second control line includes a coating adapted to protect the second control line from a fluid pumped through the sealed chamber.